Review: FLASHDANCE by Vantaan Musiikkiteatteri

I got invited to review Flashdance by Vantaan musiikkiteatteri (“musical theatre of Vantaa”) in Culture House Martinus. I stay faithful to my style and leave the plot summary out, because it’s the review I have to offer:

The first moments of a show are very important. It sets the atmosphere and expectations to the whole performance. It should introduce us to the main characters or the main story. Unfortunately the first scene was very full to my taste. Everything begins with a bold videoprojection of a sun that later turns into a city panorama. Someone stands in the middle of the stage on a podium but to my surprise is not the main character (she comes in a bit later, biking around). During the first 5 minutes many things happen and many things are just for the effect, like models and nuns, that aren’t used later in the performance. 

Fortunately after the first scene things begin to roll out clearly. The director Simo Lappalainen has used the stage to its fullest, the stairs on both sides and later even the “Cat Walk” that comes from the ceiling to form a bridge where many important scenes take place. The live band is excellent (Pehkonen, Hyytiäinen, Lindoors, Peltonen, Perälä, Harjula) and I was very fond of the lighting design by Teemu Mäkinen too. He was very detailed in his work, for example how at the back alley of Harry’s club one red light blinked dimly.

I’ve been so long gone from the audiences that this is my first time seeing Artifial Intelligence being used in theatre. There is no mention of it in the program but many backgrounds were clearly created with it. Some still backgrounds worked, though accepted with a sigh, but when there is a dancing red ballerina or a black leopard walking through bushes it’s just untasteful and distracting from real art and artists we have on stage. We all stare at Moving Pictures from our addicting rectangles all day every day so bringing them on big stage on a big screen behind performers is just not something I came to see.

The rehearsal period for this piece has been long and it’s evident how the cast of 30 people has build a good team. Everyone does their part well and everyone enjoys what they do. The smiles won’t fade even at the final bow’s, no, they just grow bigger. Chameleon girls was my favorite ensemble hit, storywise full of uneasy tension yet polished performance and matching outfits.

My personal favorites from the cast were the aspiring comedian Jimmy (Nooa Kurki) and retired ballerina star Hannah (Olga Heino). Nooa’s Jimmy begins as a keen and naive but after the story unfolds he goes through an impressive character arc. Olga’s Hannah is a bloom of physical comedy that refuses to wither and the comedic rhythm reminds me of young Miitta Sorvali. Both of their singing style pleased me as well.

All in all Flashdance was a performance that really submerged us into its intense story, making at least me forget time and space. The performers’ energy was contagious and I left the audience thinking: What a feeling!

Review: Rosanna Liuski
Photos: Ronja Nihti, Ira Venäläinen

 

 

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